In January 2011, SEIU and AFSCME replaced their 2007 agreement and signed an unacceptable agreement for the unionization of family child care providers in California. Providers were not consulted before the 2011 agreement was drafted.
The new agreement gave governance authority to an appointed staff committee that would make decisions about dues, legislation, and the composition of the provider's bargaining team. Providers were given no say in the selection of the staff for the committee.
The 2011 agreement took away requirements for a board that included family child care providers. Five years after certification, the committee would be required only to discuss the advisability of allowing the membership to elect its own board representatives.
The 2007 agreement had included a plan to unite all California providers as members of both SEIU and AFSCME within a joint unity local. The 2011 agreement calls for the division of providers by county into two separate international unions and providers may be divided into several locals where they could be the minority.
When family child care providers are united in one statewide union and govern their own union, they improve conditions for family child care providers and the children and families they serve. SEIU and AFSCME have formed unity locals for other industries. Providers in other states with democratic unions with boards of family child care providers have accomplished so much.
California needs a statewide union for family child care providers that is governed by providers.
We want a union that will give PROVIDERS a voice, a voice in all the policies and procedures affecting our industry and a voice in the administration of our own union.
For supporting documentation including the 2007 and the 2011 agreements, please visit:
FCCinCA.orgWe, the undersigned family child care providers, urgently call upon SEIU and AFSCME to immediately amend their January 2011 child care agreement for California.
We want a union that will give PROVIDERS a voice, a voice in all the policies and procedures affecting our industry and a voice in the administration of our own union.
The new agreement must make permanent provisions for a democratic union for California family child care providers with governance by providers with all the California family child care providers united in one statewide local.
We want a democratically elected board of family child care providers to run our union and we want a say in the scope of the role that any appointed staff will play in our governance.
